Gas valve with overpressure diagnostics

• US 9,851,103 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kucera, David, Young, Gregory, Kasprzyk, Donald J., Filkovski, Gregory Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): McManmon, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Hailey K
• Application Number:
  US13/326,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20130153041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• Field of Search: 1374875, 137613, 137 12, 137 14, 137557, 137458, 137461, 7311433, 7311437, 7311443, 73199, 7386142-86144, 7386152, 7386153, 73712, 73717, 73723
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/002 using electronic means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/005 using electrical or electromechanical means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/04 pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/02 Air or combustion gas valves or dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/08 used with heat exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/14 electromagnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/18 Groups of two or more valves
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/24 Valve details
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/2033 the plurality of throttling means being arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

A gas valve assembly may include a valve body with one or more valves movable between an opened position and a closed position, one or more valve actuators configured to operate the valves, and one or more pressure sensors to sense a pressure within a fluid path of the valve assembly. A valve controller may receive a measure related to a sensed pressure from the one or more pressure sensor(s). The valve controller may compare the received measure related to the sensed pressure to an overpressure threshold. In the event the measure related to the sensed pressure surpasses the overpressure threshold value, the valve controller may be configured to provide a signal that indicates an overpressure event has occurred.

Claims

1. A combustion appliance comprising:

a valve assembly for controlling flow of a fuel for combustion by the combustion appliance when the combustion appliance is running, the valve assembly comprising;

a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port;

a valve actuator for selectively moving the valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position;

a pressure sensor in communication with the fluid path upstream of the valve, the pressure sensor sensing a pressure of the fuel in the valve body upstream of the valve;

a communication link configured to output a signal readable by a remote device;

a controller physically secured to the valve body and in operative communication with the pressure sensor, the controller including a non-volatile memory for locally storing indications of overpressure events;

the controller configured to compare a measure related to the sensed pressure of the fuel in the valve body upstream of the valve with an overpressure threshold value, and if the measure surpasses the overpressure threshold value, the controller is configured to;

provide a predetermined output signal to the communication link for communication to the remote device located remotely from the valve assembly, the predetermined output signal indicating that an overpressure event has occurred; and

store an indication of the overpressure event in the non-volatile memory of the controller for subsequent retrieval, along with an indication of a cumulative number of overpressure events over a lifetime of the valve assembly.

2. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller of the valve assembly is further configured to cause the valve actuator to close the valve upon detection of the overpressure event.

3. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein:

the pressure sensor is configured to continuously sense the pressure of the fuel in the valve body upstream of the valve; and

the pressure sensor is configured to automatically and repeatedly communicate the sensed pressure to the controller of the valve assembly.

4. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein:

the controller of the valve assembly is configured to determine a most likely cause of the overpressure event; and

the controller of the valve assembly is configured to classify each overpressure event by the most likely cause of the overpressure event.

5. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller of the valve assembly is further configured to cause an alarm upon detection of the overpressure event, wherein the alarm provides an audible and/or visual indication that an overpressure event has occurred.

6. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein the communication link comprises an I/O interface for communicating with the remote device that is located remotely from the valve assembly, and wherein the I/O interface includes a wired and/or wireless interface.

7. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein:

the valve has a valve pressure rating; and

the pressure sensor has a sensor pressure rating, where the sensor pressure rating is greater than the valve pressure rating.

8. The combustion appliance of claim 7, wherein the overpressure threshold value is at or below the valve pressure rating.

9. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller of the valve assembly is further configured to locally store one or more of a time stamp of the overpressure event, a level of the sensed pressure causing the overpressure event, a duration of the overpressure event, and a classification identifier of the overpressure event in the non-volatile memory of the controller of the valve assembly.

10. The combustion appliance of claim 9, wherein the controller of the valve assembly is configured to compare one or more of the time stamp of the overpressure event, the level of the sensed pressure causing the overpressure event, the duration of the overpressure event, and the cumulative number of overpressure events to a respective threshold.

11. The combustion appliance of claim 1, wherein:

the controller of the valve assembly is configured to locally store in the non-volatile memory of the controller of the valve assembly a measure that is related to a severity of the overpressure event; and

the controller of the valve assembly is configured to compare the measure that is related to the severity of the overpressure event to a threshold severity level.

12. The combustion appliance of claim 11, wherein the controller of the valve assembly is configured to, either directly or indirectly, close the valve via the valve actuator if the measure that is related to the severity of the overpressure event surpasses the threshold severity level.

13. The combustion appliance of claim 1 further comprising:

another valve situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port;

another valve actuator for selectively moving the another valve between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position.

14. The combustion appliance of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensor is situated upstream of the both the valve and the another valve.

15. The combustion appliance of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensor is situated upstream of the valve and downstream of the another valve.

16. A method of monitoring for the occurrence of overpressure events in a valve assembly that has a pressure rating with a pressure rating value and is configured to control fuel flow to a combustion appliance, the valve assembly having a valve body with an inlet port and an outlet port, and at least one movable valve member situated between the inlet port and outlet port, the method comprising:

controlling flow of a fuel to a combustion appliance via the valve assembly, wherein the combustion appliance burns the fuel provided by the valve assembly during operation;

sensing with a pressure sensor an inlet pressure in the valve body upstream of the movable valve member;

comparing the inlet pressure to a threshold value;

if the inlet pressure surpasses the threshold value, storing an indication of the overpressure valve event in a non-volatile memory that is part of the valve assembly along with an indication of a cumulative number of overpressure valve events over a lifetime of the valve assembly; and

subsequently retrieving the indication of the cumulative number of overpressure valve events stored in the non-volatile memory.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein if the signal is provided that indicates an overpressure valve event has occurred, closing the at least one movable valve member.